Lever apparatus in a motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a lever apparatus ( 1 ) in a motor vehicle, with a carrier component ( 2 ) holding a bearing element ( 5 ) on which an actuating lever ( 4 ) of the lever apparatus ( 1 ) is pivotably fastened. In order to simplify the production of the lever apparatus ( 1 ), it is proposed that the carrier component ( 2 ) has an opening ( 14 ) through which the bearing element ( 5 ) protrudes, and that the bearing element ( 5 ) is a hollow sheet metal part which has at least one laterally protruding supporting means ( 16 ) which bears against a rear side ( 17 ) of the carrier component ( 2 ). The actuating lever ( 4 ) on the bearing element ( 5 ) is axially enclosed between the front side ( 18 ) of the carrier component ( 2 ) and a retaining part ( 9 ) arranged on the bearing element ( 5 ).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a national stage of PCT/EP2004/008723 filed Aug. 4,2004 and based upon DE 103 38 384.0 filed Aug. 21, 2003 under theInternational Convention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a lever apparatus in a motor vehicle.

2. Description of the Related Art

A lever apparatus of the generic type is known from DE 34 13 030 C2. Alever apparatus is described there which is represented by afoot-operated parking brake and essentially contains a pedal which formsan actuating lever of the lever apparatus. This actuating lever ismounted rotatably about an axis on a base plate forming a carriercomponent. The base plate itself is secured on the bodywork. Although itis not explicitly shown here, it is generally customary, as bearingelement for the pedal, to provide a spindle made from solid material ora tube which is welded or riveted to the carrier component. The pedal ispivotable about this bearing element. A lever apparatus of this type isrelatively complicated to produce and therefore relativelycost-intensive. Furthermore, the lever apparatus, in particular thebearing element, has a considerable weight.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is based on the object of developing a lever apparatusaccording to the generic type to the effect that the production thereofis simplified.

Owing to the design of the bearing element as a hollow sheet metal partwith laterally protruding supporting means, the bearing element can besecurely held in a simple manner on the carrier component by virtue ofbeing supported on the rear side of this component by means of thesupporting means, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, via aretaining part which has to be present in any case in order to captivelyarrange the actuating lever on the bearing element, and is situated onthat side of the carrier component which lies opposite the supportingmeans. This significantly simplifies the production of the leverapparatus, since the previously known, complicated joining processes,such as welding and riveting, can be dispensed with. For this, thebearing element has to be pushed through the opening of the carriercomponent in a simple manner until it bears with its supporting meansagainst the rear side of the carrier component, after which theactuating lever is pushed onto the bearing element on the opposite sideand the retaining part is subsequently fitted on the bearing element insuch a manner that neither the actuating lever, on the one hand, nor thebearing element, on the other hand, can drop out of the assembly. Owingto the formation of an opening in the carrier component and owing to thedesign of the bearing element as a hollow sheet metal part, the weightof the lever apparatus is considerably reduced and the production coststhereof minimized. The lever apparatus may be used, for example, in thecase of pedals of the pedal apparatus in the foot well of the motorvehicle and in the case of the foot-operated parking brake and in thecase of the handbrake.

In a preferred development of the invention, the supporting means is anannular collar which is formed on the bearing element. By means of theannular collar, the bearing element obtains an extensive support over awide area and considerably increases its inherent rigidity. Although theannular collar may be formed by a separate component which is thenfastened to the bearing element, it is more favorable for strengthreasons and for reasons concerned with the simplified production if theannular collar is formed as a single piece with the bearing element. Itmay be integrally formed on the bearing element or may be shaped out ofthe latter.

In a further preferred refinement of the invention, the supporting meansis formed at one end of the bearing element. Since the hollow sheetmetal part which forms the bearing element does not protrude in theaxial direction over the supporting means on the rear side of thecarrier component, construction space for the lever apparatus in themotor vehicle is saved if said lever apparatus is to be secured on thebodywork on the side of the rear side of the carrier component. In theevent of the carrier component having to be secured on the bodywork, forexample by means of welding or screwing, its vicinity to the bodyworkmeans that no particularly complicated configuration of the joiningsurfaces of the carrier component is required. The obtained gain inconstruction space enables further add-on parts to be placed on thebearing element on the side of the actuating lever, such as, forexample, a pivot lever of a device for readjusting the cable pull of thebrake which in this case forms the lever apparatus.

In a further preferred development of the invention, the supportingmeans is additionally joined to the carrier component on the rear sidethereof. Although this is not absolutely necessary, this increases thesupport of the bearing element on the carrier component and prevents anaxial slipping of the bearing element, which would possibly lead to anundesired rattling noise.

In a further preferred refinement of the invention, the retainingelement is a clamping ring which is pressed onto the bearing element.The abovementioned design of the retaining element also simplifies theproduction of the lever apparatus, since the bearing element can be ofessentially smooth design and it can be made unnecessary to incorporatea securing groove in the bearing element in order to hold a ring. Withthe clamping ring, pushing on is possible in an infinitely variablemanner and nevertheless such that it is accurate in every position, sothat the play desired for the actuating lever or in the case of aparking brake or pedal for the actuation thereof can be set.

In this case, the carrier component is designed as a metal sheet. Thecarrier component can be produced here as a simple pressed part, so thatthe entire production of the lever apparatus is simplified and itsweight reduced from this side too. The opening in the metal sheet topass the bearing element through may be formed by a punching operationat the same time as the metal sheet is pressed out in a shapingoperation.

In a further preferred refinement of the invention, the sleeve-shapedbearing section of the bearing element ends with an end wall at its endwhich is situated on the side of the actuating lever and simultaneouslycoincides with the end there of the bearing element. The formation of anend wall at the other end of the bearing element or of its supportingmeans gives the bearing element additional rigidity, with the end wallextending transversely to the longitudinal extent of the sleeve-shapedbearing section of the bearing element.

In a further expedient refinement of the invention, the end wall has apassage opening. The effect achieved by this is that the lever apparatusis secured on the bodywork in a simple manner by the bearing elementbeing screwed to a wall of the bodywork, the passage opening serving forthe passage of a screw which is screwed into a thread of the wall of thebodywork and which bears with its head against the end wall of thebearing element. The joining surfaces, which otherwise have to beprovided on the carrier component in order to connect the leverapparatus to the wall of the bodywork, can now be omitted, which furthersimplifies the manufacturing of the lever apparatus. Furthermore, theinstallation is also considerably reduced in terms of the expenditure ontime and equipment.

In this case, the transition of the cylindrical shape of the bearingsection to the end wall is rounded. By means of the relatively largeradii which occur in this case at said transition, the actuating leverand possibly also other add-on parts can be pushed onto the bearingelement without being damaged by sharp edges thereof.

In a further, particularly preferred refinement of the invention, thebearing element is a deep drawn part. By this means, the bearing elementcan be produced in a particularly simple manner from a simple sheetbillet or sheet billet blank in the manner of a drawing operationresulting in the formation of a pot or cup, with the supporting means orthe supporting means and the end wall also being produced at the sametime during the deep drawing operation so as to form the cavity in thebearing element. In this case, the supporting means is formed by thesheet billet edge which is clamped between the holding-down means andthe draw die, as a result of which said edge, which is generally severedas scrap after the end of the deep drawing process, now remains on thecomponent formed, so that resources are saved and, furthermore, themeaningful function, namely of supporting the bearing element, isobtained. The cup or pot bottom of the drawn component forms the endwall. The rounded transition of the cylindrical shape of the bearingsection to the end wall takes place automatically in a manner caused bythe process. The selection of the production process of the bearingelement in the form of deep drawing gives rise in a simple manner toessential and advantageous features of the bearing element, such as thesupporting means, the end wall and the rounded transition to the endwall, just from the procedure by itself. This quite substantiallysimplifies the design of the lever apparatus. Furthermore, the deepdrawing provides the possibility of making the wall thickness of thebearing element relatively thin by selecting a sheet billet with a lowwall thickness. This firstly saves material and considerably reduces theweight of the bearing element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to anexemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows, in a lateral view, a lever apparatus according to theinvention which is formed here by a foot-operated parking brake whichcontains a device for readjusting the cable pull of the brake,

FIG. 2 shows, in a partial cross section, the lever apparatus from FIG.1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a lever apparatus 1 in a motor vehicle, the leverapparatus containing a metal sheet which is designed as the carriercomponent 2 and by means of which the lever apparatus 1 can be securedon the bodywork via screwing tabs 3 formed on the carrier component 2.The lever apparatus 1, which serves as a foot-operated parking brake,furthermore has an actuating lever 4 which is designed as a pedal and isfastened pivotably on a bearing element 5. The lever apparatus 1furthermore contains a device 6 for readjusting the cable pull 7 or thebrake cable, which is fastened thereto, of the parking brake, a pivotlever 8 of which device 6, like the actuating lever 4, is arrangedpivotably on the bearing element 5. The actuating lever 4 and the pivotlever 8 are held captively on the bearing element 5 by means of aclamping ring 9 which is pressed on in the end region there of thebearing element 5 and forms a retaining element for them.

As can be gathered from FIG. 2, the bearing element 5 is formed by ahollow sheet metal part. The bearing element 5 is produced by deepdrawing, as a result of which a sleeve-shaped bearing section 10 isformed which bears the actuating lever 4 and the pivot lever 8. The end11 of the bearing section 10 that is situated on the side of theactuating lever 4 and simultaneously coincides with the end there of thebearing element 5 ends with an end wall 12 which runs transversely tothe longitudinal extent of the sleeve shape of the bearing section 10.The transition 13 of the cylindrical shape of the sleeve-shaped bearingsection 10 to the end wall 12 is rounded. The bearing element 5, which,owing to its particularly simple capability of being produced by meansof the deep drawing, leads to an optimization of the costs of theproduction of the entire lever apparatus 1, protrudes through an opening14 in the carrier component 2. In the opening region, the bearingelement 5 expands in the manner of a collar, starting from thesleeve-shaped bearing section 10, and ends at its end 15 there in anannular collar 16. The annular collar 16 forms a laterally protrudingsupporting means of the bearing element 5, said supporting means bearingagainst the rear side 17 of the carrier component 2. Furthermore, theannular collar 16 can additionally be joined to the carrier component 2on the rear side 17 thereof by welding, adhesive bonding or similarprocesses. The distance between the clamping ring 9 and the annularcollar 16 is created in such a manner that the pivot lever 8 and theactuating lever 4 on the bearing element 5 are enclosed axially and withlittle play between the front side 18 of the carrier component 2 and theclamping ring 9. The bearing element 5 furthermore has, in the end wall12 of the bearing section 10, a passage opening 19 which serves for thepassage of a screw shank in the event of the intention being to securethe lever apparatus on the bodywork by means of a screw instead of viathe carrier component 2. The bearing element 5 is clamped here betweenthe bodywork and the screw head.

Within the scope of the invention, a multiplicity of variants of thedescribed exemplary embodiment is conceivable. For example, the carriercomponent 2 may be composed of a hollow profile, with the latterinevitably having to have two openings 14 through which the bearingelement 5 can protrude. Also, the supporting means does not inevitablyhave to be an annular collar 16 which is formed on the bearing element5. On the contrary, the arrangement of flange-like tabs which are shapedfrom the bearing element 5 or adjoined as separate components ispossible. Furthermore, the annular collar 16 may also be formed by aseparate component which is connected to the bearing element 5.Furthermore, the supporting means may also be formed or arranged at adistance from the end 15 of the bearing element 5. Also, alternatives tothe clamping ring 9 are conceivable; for example, after the pivot lever8 and the actuating lever 4 are pushed on, the bearing element 5 may beupset. The bearing element 5 itself may be produced by rolling andlongitudinal welding of a suitably designed sheet billet blank insteadof by deep drawing, in which case the end wall 12 of the bearing section10 would therefore be omitted. Furthermore, this end wall 12 may also becompletely closed. These alternatives, cited by way of example, to theexemplary embodiment described in detail constitute just one extractfrom the abovementioned multiplicity of possibilities of refining theinvention.

1. A lever apparatus in a motor vehicle, with a carrier componentholding a bearing element on which an actuating lever of the leverapparatus is pivotably fastened, wherein the carrier component (2) hasan opening (14) through which the bearing element (5) protrudes, in thatthe bearing element (5) is a hollow sheet metal part which has at leastone laterally protruding supporting means (16) which bears against arear side (17) of the carrier component (2), and wherein the actuatinglever (4) on the bearing element (5) is axially enclosed between thefront side (18) of the carrier component (2) and a retaining part (9)arranged on the bearing element (5).
 2. The lever apparatus as claimedin claim 1, wherein the supporting means (16) is an annular collar whichis formed on the bearing element (5).
 3. The lever apparatus as claimedin claim 1, wherein the supporting means (16) is formed at one end (15)of the bearing element (5).
 4. The lever apparatus as claimed in claim1, wherein the supporting means (16) is additionally joined to thecarrier component (2) on the rear side (17) thereof.
 5. The leverapparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the retaining element (9) is aclamping ring which is pressed onto the bearing element (5).
 6. Thelever apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier component (2)is a metal sheet.
 7. The lever apparatus as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe sleeve-shaped bearing section (10) of the bearing element (5) endswith an end wall (12) at its end (11) which is situated on the side ofthe actuating lever (4) and simultaneously coincides with the end thereof the bearing element (5).
 8. The lever apparatus as claimed in claim7, wherein the end wall (12) has a passage opening (19).
 9. The leverapparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transition (13) of thecylindrical shape of the bearing section (10) to the end wall (12) isrounded.
 10. The lever apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein thebearing element (5) is a deep drawn part.